Apparatus for removably supporting and tensioning clotheslines



July 28,- 1959 w. l.. BoDlNE 2,896,792 APFARAI'US FOR REMOVABLYSUPPORTING AND TENSIONING CLOTHESLINES Filed April 1, 1955 2Sheets-Shea?I 1 ATTORNEY July 28, 1959 w. L. BOBINE 2,895,792

APPARATUS FOR REMovABLY SUPPORTING AND TENSIONING CLOTHESLINES FiledApril 1, 1955 Y 2 Sheets-Sheei'I 2 INVENTOR. M//Y//am 5007/76 'wwwATTORNE 2,896,792 t Patented July 28, `1951) i APPARATUS FoRnnMovABLYsUPPoRTmG- fAND TENsIoNiNG cnomnsnnsns william L. nadine,Elyria, ohio Applicauhn Aprirl, `1955,'se`rth1 No.` 498,594 4 claims.(cl. zii-119.15)

This inventionrelates to a mechanism for supporting and tensioning aclothesline in which the supporting post or posts are demountablyconnected with sockets or similar receiving means buried in the ground,such means to form aiirm" temporary connection, as 'by providing thesocket and post construction so as to prevent relative rotation of` onewith respect to the other. .A further object of the present invention isto provide a simple and l eiiicient mechanism for putting tension on theclothesline carried #by said posts, this mechanism lbeing adapted tosecurely lock said postin line tensioning position. A Y

Further objects andadvantages are within the scope of this inventionsuch as relate to the arrangement, operationv and function of therelated elements of the structure, to various detailsof construction andto com- ;binations of parts, elements perse, and to economies ofmanufacture and numerous other features as will be apparent' from aconsideration of the specification and drawings of a form of theinvention, which may be preferred, in which: y

Figure I isa perspective View of the clothesline fsupportingmechanis'massembled in upright position; j

Y Figure "II is` an elevation partly in section, showing ,K the baseofthe' post vand the xed socket;

-Figue'IlI is a section of the lin III--III of Figure II. Figure IV isan elevation of a part of the post and base member, 'with tensioning'and `locking mechanism.

Figure V is a perspective view of a portion of the locking mechanism.`

Referring vto the drawings and particularly to Figure I,

it will bev seen 'that'I provide'means for supporting a clothesline 10,Vsaid means including clothes posts 11 carrying cross arms 1 2xwith hooks13 for attachment to 4theclnthesline 10. ,y I

'Il-he postsV 11 are rectangular in cross-'section as shown andremovably positioned in similarly shaped sockets 14, which sockets, asstated, are permanently set and anchored in the ground, or in the floorof a garage or basement.

In order to maintain the posts 11 in vertical position, when set inplace in the sockets 14, I provide horizontal or ground supports 15 andupwardly extending diagonal brace members 16 and 17, these beingpivotally connected near the top to the posts 11 as shown in Figure I.

The ground supports 15 have plates 18 at their outer ends for bearingagainst the ground or other supporting surface and are provided on theirupper edges with a plurality of notches 19, for engagement with thelower ends 17' of the Ibrace members 16 and 17 which are positioned inproper notches as required in positioning the clothesline.

Referring to Figures II and III of the drawings, it will n 2g be seenthat I provide means to temporarily ylock `the posts and socketstogether, in'each socket 14 a rigid cross pin 20 anchored securely to`the socket by riveting o r otherwise and I also provide the socket 14with ashort locking pin 21 secured to the socket wall, andthe bottom vofthe post 11V is provided with semi-cylindrical openings 22 in the wallsthereof, these openings adapted to seat on the cross pin 20 when tirevpost is inserted in the socket v14.` There. is also -providedfin thepost-11 ahole-23, so

spaced from the openings, 22 that the hole 23,isin line withthe lockingpin 21 when' the post isyseated on the cross pin 20.v When the post 11is insertedin the socket, as shown-in the full line position (Fig. II),the posts are rotated about the cross pin 20 and the locking pin 21 willenter thev hole 23 in the post, thus locking the post against withdrawalfrom the socket. v l

It will valso be seen from inspection of Figure III, that by providingthe post 11 substantiallysquare in section and making the socket I14also rectangular with the ysides thereof closely fitting. the post 11,relative rotation between thev two in a `horizontal plane is effectuallyprevented. A

'Ilhe diagonal Abraces `16 and 17 are adapted to be ybrace-,17, saidsection telescoping with lower section 26 and iboth sections being ofsubstantially rectangular cross section. Referring to Figure IV thepivotal connection between the diagonal braces 16 and 17 and the uprightposts 11 includes apair of lugs 7 fixed tothe vposts 11.

-A transverse pivotpin 8 passes through suitable openings in saidlugsias shown. :This pivot pin 8 is located in positionin the/lugsl 7bycotterpins 9. Mounted on the upper section 25 is a bifurcated bracketarm27and piv- ,otedthereto isa hand lever 28 and a locking dog member 29'.The handlever 28 carres `a pawl member 30 pivotfally' connected `thereto`as at 31, said member 30`carry- `ing an engaging projection orfpin 32.A,The ylocking ,dog member 29,-is also provided with an engaging boss33, and the lower brace section 26 is provided with open'- ings 34 onits upper surface and',openings,35 on its lower surface, saidopeningsbeing adapted for engagement by the projection 32 and the boss 33. v f

The hand lever'28 isas a whole pivoted as by pin36 `to the `arm 27 whilethe same pin pivots the lockingfdo'g member 29 to the ,arm 27. `As thecenter of lgravity of ythelocking member 29 is to the right of the pivot36, the

l'same tends to swing and tobring the,` boss 33 against the surface ofthe brace rmember section 26, Yalso this tendency acts-to causeA theboss 33 to'enter any hole in the brace to which it is in register.

It will readily be seen therefore, that movement of lever 28 around pin36 will first cause extension of the telescoped post, due to theengagement of the projection 32 with the hole 34, also that as theprojection 33 on the dog member 29 moves along the lower surface of themember 26 it will be forced by gravity into one of the holes 35 therein.

Thus the two parcs 2s and 26 win be held by the i dog 29 while the lever28 may be again raised till the projection 32 engages another hole 34 onthe top surface of the member 26, when the action can be repeated tillthe extension of the brace member 17 is suilcient to put 3 with dogmember 29, whereby the boss 33 is withdrawn from engagement with one ofthe holes 35 in the. lower section 26 of the brace member 17.

As soon as the tension is removed from the clothesline `10, the postsmay readilyr be swung from verticall to inclined position, at which timethe pin 21 will withdraw from the hole 23111 the post 11 and the samemay readily ibe removed from the socket 14.

What I claim is: l

l.l In a removable clothes post assembly, a socket of predeterminedcross sectional Vconfiguration adapted to removably support an uprightpost therein, said socket `having a pivoting pin connecting oppositeksides thereof;

,a locking pin iixed to said socket and located at right angles to saidpivoting pin and extending partially into -said`socket from vanotherportion of said socket; and' a removable post having a lower end ofpredetermined lcross sectional configuration smaller than said socket tottherein to permit said lower end of said upright post to pass said pin,the cross sectional configuration of said socket and said post endconstructed to prevent rotation therebetween, said end Vof said posthaving a pair of notches at the lower edge portions of said end to -iitover said pivot pin in said socketand an opening in said lower end ofsaid post to receive said locking pin on said socket, to retain saidpost in said socket when said post is swung to upright position withsaid notched end thereof pivoted on s aidY pivot pin in said socket.

2. In a removable clothes kpost assembly, a socket of rectangular crosssection adapted to removably support an upright post therein, saidsocket having a pivoting pin connecting opposite sides thereof; alocking pin extending partially into said socket from onev of the otherof said rectangular sides of said socket, said locking pin lixed to saidsocket and located at right angles to said pivoting pin; and a removablepost having a, lower end of rectangular cross section substantiallysmaller than said socket to it therein to permit relative swingingmovement between said post and said socket, said end of said post havinga. pair of notches at the lower edge of opposite sides of said end tofit over said pivot pin in said socket and an opening in one of theother sides of said rectangular lower end of said post to receivel saidlocking pin on said lsocket, to retain said post in said socket whensaid post is swung to upright position with said notched endvthereofpivoted on said pivot pin in said socket. Y

3. In a removable clothes post assembly, a pair of sockets ofrectangular cross section adapted to removably support a pair of uprightposts therein, said posts and positioned at substantially righty anglesto the pivoting pin; and a pair of removable posts each having a lowerend of rectangular cross section substantially smaller than Y `mentbetweenY said post and said socket, the end 'of one of said posts havingapair. of notches at the lower edge of opposite sides of said end to tover said pivot pin in the socket receiving said post; an opening theother side of the lower end of said post opposite the other post toreceive said locking pin on said socket, to retain said post in saidsocket when said post is swung to upright position; the end of the otherpost having a pair of notches at its lower end to fit over the pivot pinin said socket into which said post extends and an opening in the sideof said lower end of said post to receive said locking pin on itsreceiving socket, to retain said post in said socket, both said postsadapted to be swung away from each other to upright position with saidnotched ends pivoted on said pivot pin of saidv sockets. 1

4. In a removable clothes post assembly having a ground member, anupright clothes post and a two part diagonal member arranged to bepositioned in extended and retracted positions, one part pivoted at thetop to the upper part of said post, and the otherV part fitting at thebottom into a receiving notch in said ground member, manually operableselfflocking extending and retracting means between said two parts ofsaid diagonal member, comprising a pivot bracket secured to one of saidmembers, a pair of series of holes in the other member; an operatinglever pivoted to saidbracket; a locking pivoted lever carried by saidbracket, said lever having a boss for engaging one of said holes, in oneof said series; means whereby said boss is released when said lever isoperated; an operating pawl, 'said pawl pivoted at said operating leverand actuated by said lever, having a pin for normally engaging the otherholes in said member; the construction arranged whereby said leverdisengages said pin lwhen said lever is operated to extend saidtwo-piece extendable diagonal member; means whereby when said lever ismoved in one direction, said pawl and pin forces said members apart, andsaid boss locks the same in extended position, and when said lever ismoved in the opposite direction, said pin is released lfrom said hole,whereby the two parts ofsaid diagonal member return to retractedposition.

Referencesv Cited in the leof this, Patent UNITED STATES PATENTS456,990y Hawley .c.. '.Q- Aug. 4, 1891 511,262 Bobrick ADecE 19, 1 893625,278V Spoore May 16, 1899 638,583 Knox ,r Dec.5, 1899 716,968 WarnerDec. 30, 1902 942,592 Schneider VDecj."7, 1909 985,485 Willard Feb. Y28,1911 991,913 Von Engeln' May 9 1911 1,799,314 Pfai Apr. 7 1 9311,822,907 Ruchie ...Septl 1.5, v1931 1,991,087 v Feb, 12, 1935 2,646,963Usherl July 2.8 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 18,644

